Stimulus
What is a brief: A brief is a set of requirements given to the staff of a producer. Mainly with character design, a designer will be provided a sort of style for the character. This is a rough outline or set of requirements needed for the design. For example there might only be something along the lines of 'This character must be female, wearing a uniform that is blue and she must have pale pink eyes.' Although it's not really detailed, the designer would come up with something that is suitable and ticks all of the boxes the producer has set.
Client brief: Given to the designer. The designer must follow the guidelines given by their client. Like what was a brief by the main producer. While maintaining their own idea above. There may or may not be any breathing room given where design is concerning. What I mean is, they may be given some freedom as far as the style and the like is concerned. But there may not be, and they are provided a very solid and detailed idea of what the want.
Own brief: The requirements you set for yourself. Although you could have been given a pretty solid idea of what you have to produce, you may be able to add extra feature that the client had not specified in order to make the character look better or more appealing. Although it's better to ask the client before making any drastic changes or you could get into a little bit of trouble.
Market research: It's good to do this once employed by someone who requires your services; as it will help make the character look more appealing. This is because when you look at what styles and the like are currently relevant, it is easier to adapt you character into someone that will appeal to a larger audience. Same goes for what age ranges most players are and the like. What gender plays these games the most? Because face it, if it's females and you're doing a game where the girls have larger... Assets... Then someone is bound to complain and be real touchy about it. So this is useful ethics wise. And market research determines how far you are able to go with particular designs. Given the age range it's supposed to be produced for. (How messed up can you make it before it gets labelled as 'too scary' and such)
Ideas Generation
Brainstorming: Perfect opportunity to do things such as research styles the designer likes, ranging from overall design, to clothing and eye shape, whatever really. But yep, good to get ideas and concepts going etc.
Mood Boards: Isn't that like the same thing? But mood boards are good to gather a range of things like picture styles and colours. What you think might work and what wouldn't, what you want and what you don't it's kinda getting examples and ideas on the desired outcome.
Thumbnail sketching: The basic idea of what something will look like, a rough outline before the final product really. You can change it pretty easily at this point, add things, take them away and such. Sketching and adapting till you find something you're happy with.
Concept Drawings: The almost final result of all of the above. Basically the final version of all the sketches generated and the like. Coloured in, filled in and very solid. But yep, the near enough final idea that will most likely be used in the game.
Legal and ethical considerations:
What is copyright law: Copy right law is the law put in place in order to stop one company from stealing aspects or ideas from another. It prevents things from being stolen and such because no one really wants their ideas stolen.Although this can still apply if someone hasn't made a game but has had their idea stolen and used to produce an identical or vastly similar game. Even with smaller things, it's actually pretty easy to accidentally copyright. Say if you had some posters in a game, and you decided to google, I don't know 'Cat eating pizza' You would be risking copy right infringement as that is not your image to use. Although you are able to pay the owner of it for it's usage.
What is libel: Basically, who do we blame? Who is responsible for this screw up? Who can we sue? For example, if it's a game and it was identical to 'Lollipop chainsaw' except the Heroines name had been changed from 'Juliet' to 'Brenda' They would obviously want to take action and hold someone responsible, or 'Libel' for copyrighting their game.
How are female characters represented in games: They aren't exactly represented in the best light physically. Like... I guess they have a tendency to be drawn with reveling outfits and not exactly small... Uh... Y'know what I mean. characters. I don't particularly care about how the character looks as long as they don't come off as annoying. Like Juliet from 'Lollipop Chainsaw' She's a cheerleader in questionable clothes. But totally awesome! Same goes for Lara Croft a number of other female characters. Face it, when you play a street fighter game, at first you choose the cutest characters (Well, I do at least.) Although thinking about it, I don't really see any black female character .But just because they are drawn a certain way, it doesn't mean they can't be awesome s in games, aside from the walking dead. Even then the main female (Clementine) is half cast. But she's not sexualized because she's like... 11 so that's good.
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